Impedance matching apparatus and method of antenna circuit

ABSTRACT

An impedance matching apparatus is provided. The impedance matching apparatus includes a signal separation unit, an impedance detection unit, and an impedance matching unit. The signal separation unit separates a transmission and reception signal, and selectively passes a desired frequency corresponding to the transmission and reception signal. The impedance detection unit includes a plurality of impedances, and detects first and second electric potentials between the impedances. The impedance matching unit compares the first and second electric potentials detected by the impedance detection unit, and changes a matching factor for one of the impedances included in the impedance detection unit to match the impedances according to the compared result.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims the benefit under 35 U.S.C. §119 of KoreanPatent Application No. 10-2010-0064892, filed on 6 Jul., 2010, which ishereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.

BACKGROUND

In mobile communication terminals, an antenna circuit transmits orreceives a certain radio wave signal through an antenna.

Impedance is required to be accurately matched such that the antenna hasoptimal transmission and reception radiation performance.

Therefore, the antenna circuit includes a capacitor and an inductor. Theantenna circuit controls the value of the capacitor and the value of theinductor to match the impedances of the antenna in an optimal state.

In matching impedances, the impedances of an antenna are matched in astate where a mobile communication terminal is located in a free space.

Generally, a user uses a mobile communication terminal in a state wherethe user has held a body with its hand and brought a speaker intocontact with its ear, or uses the mobile communication terminal by usingan earphone in a state where the body of the communication terminal hasbeen placed in a bag or a pocket.

Since a user uses a mobile communication terminal in a state where theuser has held a body with its hand and brought a speaker into contactwith its ear or uses the mobile communication terminal in a state wherethe body of the communication terminal has been placed in a bag or apocket, the impedance matching factor of an antenna varies, andconsequently, the transmission and reception radiation performance ofthe antenna with impedances matched in a free space is degraded.

Accordingly, mobile communication terminals include an adaptive tuningantenna circuit that allows an antenna to have optimal transmission andreception radiation performance by automatically controlling theimpedances of the antenna when the impedance matching factor of theantenna is changed.

To optimally maintain the transmission and reception radiationperformance of the antenna, the adaptive tuning antenna circuit isrequired to detect the changed impedance state of the antenna.

For this, the adaptive tuning antenna circuit includes a coupler, anddetects a forward power and a reflected power outputted from thecoupler.

In order to detect the reflected power and the forward power and controlan impedance, however, the adaptive tuning antenna circuit is requiredto include the coupler and a plurality of power detectors for detectingthe forward power and the reflected power outputted from the coupler.

BRIEF SUMMARY

Embodiments provide an antenna circuit having a new structure.

The object of the present invention is not limited to the aforesaid, butother objects not described herein will be clearly understood by thoseskilled in the art from descriptions below.

In one embodiment, an impedance matching apparatus includes: a signalseparation unit separating a transmission and reception signal, andselectively passing a desired frequency corresponding to thetransmission and reception signal; an impedance detection unit includinga plurality of impedances, and detecting first and second electricpotentials between the impedances; and an impedance matching unitcomparing the first and second electric potentials detected by theimpedance detection unit, and changing a matching factor for one of theimpedances included in the impedance detection unit to match theimpedances according to the compared result.

The impedance detection unit may include first to fourth impedancesconfiguring a Wheatstone bridge circuit, one of the first to fourthimpedances being an antenna matching end impedance.

The first electric potential may be an electric potential between thefirst and second impedances, and the second electric potential may be anelectric potential between the third and fourth impedances.

The impedance detection unit may further include: a first detectordisposed between the first and second impedances, and detecting thefirst electric potential; and a second detector disposed between thethird and fourth impedances, and detecting the second electricpotential.

At least one of the first to fourth impedances may include a variablecapacitor.

The impedance matching unit may include: a controller detecting adifference between the first and second electric potentials, anddetermining an impedance matching factor corresponding to the detecteddifference; and a digital-to-analog converter (DAC) converting a signal,corresponding to the impedance matching factor determined by thecontroller, into an analog signal to output the converted analog signal.

The impedance matching factor may correspond to a capacitance value ofthe variable capacitor.

The impedance matching factor may correspond to an equipotential valuefor changing the difference between the first and second electricpotentials to zero.

The transmission and reception signal may include a radio frequency (RF)transmission and reception signal.

The impedance matching apparatus may be built in a body of a wirelesscommunication terminal including a tuner.

In another embodiment, an impedance matching method includes: detectinga first electric potential between first and second impedances;detecting a second electric potential between third and fourthimpedances; comparing the detected first and second electric potentials;and changing an impedance matching factor for one of the first to fourthimpedances according to the compared result.

At least one of the first to fourth impedances may include a variablecapacitor.

The changing of an impedance matching factor may include changing acapacitance value of the variable capacitor for the first and secondelectric potentials to be equal, when the first and second electricpotentials differ.

The impedance matching method may further include maintaining theimpedance matching factor as-is, when the first and second electricpotentials are equal.

The details of one or more embodiments are set forth in the accompanyingdrawings and the description below. Other features will be apparent fromthe description and drawings, and from the claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a block diagram schematically illustrating an impedancematching apparatus according to an embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a detailed block diagram illustrating an impedance detectionunit of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a detailed block diagram illustrating an impedance matchingunit according to a first embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a detailed block diagram illustrating an impedance matchingunit according to a second embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating an impedance matching methodaccording to an embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Reference will now be made in detail to the embodiments of the presentdisclosure, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings.

Since the present disclosure may have diverse modified embodiments,specific embodiments are illustrated in the drawings and are describedin detail.

However, this does not limit the present invention within specificembodiments and it should be understood that the present inventioncovers all the modifications, equivalents, and replacements within theidea and technical scope of the present invention.

It will be understood that although the terms of first and second areused herein to describe various elements, these elements should not belimited by these terms. Terms are only used to distinguish one componentfrom other components. Therefore, a component referred to as a firstcomponent in one embodiment can be referred to as a second component inanother embodiment. The word ‘and/or’ means that one or more or acombination of relevant constituent elements is possible.

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below in moredetail with reference to the accompanying drawings. For convenience ofdescription and clarity, like reference numerals denote like elementsthroughout.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram schematically illustrating an impedancematching apparatus according to an embodiment. FIG. 2 is a detailedblock diagram illustrating an impedance detection unit of FIG. 1. FIG. 3is a detailed block diagram illustrating an impedance matching unitaccording to a first embodiment. FIG. 4 is a detailed block diagramillustrating an impedance matching unit according to a secondembodiment.

First Embodiment

Referring to FIGS. 1 to 3, an impedance matching device of an antennacircuit according to a first embodiment includes a signal separationunit 110, an impedance detection unit 120, and an impedance matchingunit 130.

The impedance matching device may be built in a body (not shown) that isprovided to have a certain outer appearance. The body having the outerappearance may be a wireless communication apparatus using an antenna.For example, the wireless communication apparatus may include a tuner.

The signal separation unit 110 separates an input transmission andreception signal, and selectively passes only a desired frequencycorresponding to the transmission and reception signal.

The signal separation unit 110 may include a front end module.

The front end module includes an antenna switching module (ASM) and asurface acoustic wave (SAW) filter. The front end module may selectivelypass a desired frequency corresponding to a transmission and receptionsignal.

The transmission and reception signal may be a radio frequency (RF)transmission and reception signal, but the present disclosure is notlimited thereto. For example, the transmission and reception signal maybe at least one of an intermediate frequency (IF) transmission andreception signal, a low frequency (LF) transmission and receptionsignal, a very high frequency (VHF) transmission and reception signal,and an ultra high frequency (UHF) transmission and reception signal.

The impedance detection unit 120 receives a desired frequency,corresponding to a transmission and reception signal that is separatedand selectively passed by the signal separation unit 110, to detect anelectric between a plurality of impedances Z1 to Z3 and ZANT.

Herein, as illustrated in FIG. 2, the impedances Z1 to Z3 and ZANT mayinclude first to fourth impedances 121 to 124 configuring a Wheatstonebridge circuit, in which case the fourth impedance 124 may be an antennamatching end impedance ZANT.

The impedance detection unit 120 includes first and second detectors 125and 126.

The first detector 125 is disposed between the first and secondimpedances 121 and 122, and detects a first electric potential betweenthe first and second impedances 121 and 122.

The second detector 126 is disposed between the third impedance 123 andthe antenna matching end impedance 124, and detects a second electricpotential between the third impedance 123 and the antenna matching endimpedance 124.

That is, the impedance detection unit 120 detects a plurality ofimpedances, a first electric potential for a first point between theimpedances, a second electric potential for a second point between theimpedances. The impedance detection unit 120 delivers the detected firstand second electric potentials to the impedance matching unit 130.

The impedance matching unit 130 receives the first and second electricpotentials from the impedance detection unit 120, compares the receivedfirst and second electric potentials, and matches impedances.

For this, as illustrated in FIG. 3, the impedance matching unit 130includes a controller 131, a digital-to-analog converter (DAC) 132, andan impedance matching circuit 133.

The controller 131 compares the first and second electric potentials todetermine whether or not the first and second electric potentials arethe same.

When the first and second electric potentials are the same, this is acase where the impedances of the antenna have accurately been matched inan optimal state. When the first and second electric potentials differ,this is a case where an impedance matching factor of the antenna hasvaried.

Therefore, when the first and second electric potentials are the same,the controller 131 maintains a previous matching factor as-is, but whenthe first and second electric potentials differ, the controller 131changes a previous matching factor to a new matching factor.

For this, the controller 131 newly determines a capacitance value forchanging the previous matching factor, and allows impedances to bematched by applying the determined capacitance value.

The capacitance value is an equipotential value for changing adifference between the first and second electric potentials to zero,namely, for allowing the first and second electric potentials to havethe same value.

The capacitance value determined by the controller 131, namely, theequipotential value is a digital signal, which is delivered to the DAC132.

The DAC 132 converts the capacitance value, which is supplied from thecontroller 131 and is used to compensate for a potential differencebetween the impedances Z1 to Z3 and ZANT, into an analog signal andoutputs the converted analog signal.

The impedance matching circuit 133 receives the analog signal suppliedfrom the DAC 132, and matches impedances with the received analogsignal.

That is, the impedance matching circuit 133 receives an equipotentialvalue (corresponding to the converted analog signal) between theimpedances Z1 to Z3 and ZANT to be compensated for, and controls avoltage to have the equipotential value between the impedances Z1 to Z3and ZANT, thereby matching impedances. The controlled voltage may be acapacitance value that is applied to at least one variable capacitorsVC1 and VC2.

To provide a more detailed description, the impedance matching circuit133 may include at least one inductors L1 and L2, at least one capacitorC1, and the at least one variable capacitors VC1 and VC2.

Each of the at least one inductors L1 and L2 has one end electricallyconnected to the impedance detection unit 120, and another grounded end.The at least one inductors L1 and L2 sequentially control an electricpotential value (first and second electric potentials) between currentimpedances, outputted from the impedance detection unit 120.

The at least one inductors L1 and L2 may include a first inductor L1,and a second inductor L2 connected to the first inductor L1 in parallel.

The at least one capacitor C1 is electrically connected to the at leastone inductors L1 and L2, and stores the electric potential value betweenthe current impedances that has sequentially been controlled by the atleast one inductors L1 and L2.

The at least one capacitor C1 may include only a first capacitor C1.Unlike this, the at least one capacitor C1 may include a plurality ofcapacitors.

Each of the at least one variable capacitors VC1 and VC2 has one endelectrically connected to the impedance detection unit 120 and the atleast one inductors L1 and L2, and another grounded end. The at leastone variable capacitors VC1 and VC2 may receive the equipotential value(corresponding to the converted analog signal) between the impedances Z1to Z3 and ZANT to be compensated for, control a voltage to have thereceived equipotential value between the impedances Z1 to Z3 and ZANT,and supply the controlled voltage to the impedance detection unit 120,thereby matching the impedances Z1 to Z3 and ZANT.

That is, the variable capacitors VC1 and VC2 may match the impedances byapplying the capacitance value supplied from the DAC 132.

The variable capacitors VC1 and VC2 may include a first variablecapacitor VC1, and a second variable capacitor VC2 connected to thefirst variable capacitor VC1 in parallel.

As described above, when a difference of the first and second electricpotentials between the impedances Z1 to Z3 and ZANT is detected by theimpedance detection unit 120, the impedance matching apparatus accordingto an embodiment monitors the difference, and matches the impedancesaccording to the electric potential difference, thereby maintaining anoptimal impedance matching factor.

Second Embodiment

Except the third impedance 123 of the impedance detection unit 120 andthe configuration of the impedance matching unit 130, the secondembodiment has the same configuration as that of the first embodiment.In describing below the second embodiment, therefore, repetitivedescription on the same configuration and operation as those of thefirst embodiment will not be provided.

Referring to FIG. 4, an impedance matching device according to thesecond embodiment includes a signal separation unit 110, an impedancedetection unit 120, and an impedance matching unit 130.

As described above in the first embodiment, the impedance detection unit120 includes first to fourth impedances 121 and 124. Also, the impedancedetection unit 120 includes first and second detectors 125 and 126.

The third impedance 123 according to the second embodiment includes avariable capacitor.

That is, the third impedance 123 does not include a capacitor having afixed capacitance value but includes a variable capacitor for matchingimpedances. In FIG. 4, the third impedance 123 is illustrated asconfigured with the variable capacitor, but the present disclosure isnot limited thereto. For example, an impedance other than the thirdimpedance 123 may be configured with a variable capacitor.

The impedance matching unit 130 includes a controller 131 and a DAC 132.

The controller 131 compares a first electric potential detected by thefirst detector 125 and a second electric potential detected by thesecond detector 126, and changes a predetermined impedance matchingfactor according to the compared result of the first and second electricpotentials.

That is, when the first and second electric potentials are the same, thecontroller 131 maintains the predetermined impedance matching factoras-is.

That is, when the first and second electric potentials differ, thecontroller 131 determines an impedance matching factor for changing adifference between the first and second electric potentials to zero.

The impedance matching factor is an equipotential value for making thefirst and second electric potentials identical, namely, a capacitancevalue of the variable capacitor included in the third impedance 123.

That is, as the capacitance value of the variable capacitor included inthe third impedance 123 varies, the electric potential is changed.

Therefore, the controller 131 determines the capacitance value of thevariable capacitor included in the third impedance 123 for making thefirst and second electric potentials identical, and allows impedances tobe matched by applying the determined capacitance value.

The DAC 132 converts the capacitance value determined by the controller131 into an analog signal, and supplies the converted analog signal tothe third impedance 123.

In this way, the impedance matching apparatus according to the secondembodiment may check an impedance matching state in real time using anelectric potential difference in a Wheatstone bride circuit. When thematching of impedances is abnormal, the impedance matching apparatus maychange the capacitance value of the impedance configuring the Wheatstonebridge circuit to match impedances.

FIG. 5 is a detailed block diagram illustrating an impedance matchingmethod according to an embodiment.

Referring to FIG. 5, the first detector 125 is disposed between thefirst and second impedances 121 and 122, and detects the electricpotential (first electric potential) between the first and secondimpedances 121 and 122 in operation S101.

Subsequently, the second detector 126 is disposed between the thirdimpedance 123 and the antenna matching end impedance 124, and detectsthe electric potential (second electric potential) between the thirdimpedance 123 and the antenna matching end impedance 124 in operationS102.

The first electric potential detected by the first detector 125 and thesecond electric potential detected by the second detector 126 areinputted to the controller 131.

The controller 131 receives and compares the detected first and secondelectric potentials to determine whether the first and second electricpotentials are the same in operation S103.

In other words, the controller 131 checks whether the current impedanceof the antenna has optimally been matched or the impedance matchingfactor of the antenna has varied.

When the first and second electric potentials are equal as thedetermined result of operation S103, the controller 131 maintains apredetermined impedance matching value as-is in operation S104.

Moreover, when the first and second electric potentials differ as thedetermined result of operation S103, the controller 131 changes acapacitance value of a capacitor included in the antenna matchingcircuit 133 and thus allows impedances to be matched in operation S105.

On the other hand, according to the second embodiment, when the firstand second electric potentials differ as the determined result ofoperation S103, the controller 131 changes a capacitance value of thethird impedance 123.

Although embodiments have been described with reference to a number ofillustrative embodiments thereof, it should be understood that numerousother modifications and embodiments can be devised by those skilled inthe art that will fall within the spirit and scope of the principles ofthis disclosure. More particularly, various variations and modificationsare possible in the component parts and/or arrangements of the subjectcombination arrangement within the scope of the disclosure, the drawingsand the appended claims. In addition to variations and modifications inthe component parts and/or arrangements, alternative uses will also beapparent to those skilled in the art.

What is claimed is:
 1. An impedance matching apparatus comprising: asignal separation unit separating a transmission and reception signal,and selectively passing a desired frequency corresponding to thetransmission and reception signal; an impedance detection unitcomprising a plurality of impedances, and detecting first and secondelectric potentials between the impedances; and an impedance matchingunit comparing the first and second electric potentials detected by theimpedance detection unit, and changing a matching factor for one of theimpedances comprised in the impedance detection unit to match theimpedances according to the compared result, wherein the impedancedetection unit comprises first to fourth impedances configuring aWheatstone bridge circuit, one of the first to fourth impedances beingan antenna matching end impedance.
 2. The impedance matching apparatusaccording to claim 1, wherein, the first electric potential is anelectric potential between the first and second impedances, and thesecond electric potential is an electric potential between the third andfourth impedances.
 3. The impedance matching apparatus according toclaim 2, wherein the impedance detection unit further comprises: a firstdetector disposed between the first and second impedances, and detectingthe first electric potential; and a second detector disposed between thethird and fourth impedances, and detecting the second electricpotential.
 4. The impedance matching apparatus according to claim 1,wherein at least one of the plurality of impedances comprises a variablecapacitor.
 5. The impedance matching apparatus according to claim 4,wherein the impedance matching unit comprises: a controller detecting adifference between the first and second electric potentials, anddetermining an impedance matching factor corresponding to the detecteddifference; and a digital-to-analog converter (DAC) converting a signal,corresponding to the impedance matching factor determined by thecontroller, into an analog signal to output the converted analog signal.6. The impedance matching apparatus of claim 5, wherein the impedancematching factor corresponds to a capacitance value of the variablecapacitor.
 7. The impedance matching apparatus according to claim 5,wherein the impedance matching factor corresponds to an equipotentialvalue for changing the difference between the first and second electricpotentials to zero.
 8. The impedance matching apparatus according toclaim 1, wherein the transmission and reception signal comprises a radiofrequency (RF) transmission and reception signal.
 9. The impedancematching apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the impedance matchingapparatus is built in a body of a wireless communication terminalcomprising a tuner.
 10. An impedance matching method comprising:detecting a first electric potential between first and secondimpedances; detecting a second electric potential between third andfourth impedances; comparing the detected first and second electricpotentials; and changing an impedance matching factor for one of thefirst to fourth impedances according to the comparison result, whereinthe first to fourth impedances configure a Wheatstone bridge circuit,and one of the first to fourth impedances is an antenna matching endimpedance.
 11. The impedance matching method according to claim 10,wherein at least one of the first to fourth impedances comprises avariable capacitor.
 12. The impedance matching method according to claim11, wherein the changing of an impedance matching factor compriseschanging a capacitance value of the variable capacitor for the first andsecond electric potentials to be equal, when the first and secondelectric potentials differ.
 13. The impedance matching method accordingto claim 11, further comprising maintaining the impedance matchingfactor as-is, when the first and second electric potentials are equal.